Rating: 
Summary: Even at such an early date, Christie complexity come through
Review: The Secret Adversary is a very entertaining read seventy-nine years after it's first publication. Sure there are some things that are dated but I like to think of that as adding to the authenticity. And yes, by the time everything is sorted out at the end, it's pretty easy for the reader to say that the clues were all out there in plain sight. But as you read, Dame Agatha does a nice job of keeping you guessing. (This is due in part to her spliting up Tommy and Tuppence for the better part of the novel. The reader learns what each of them learn but they don't always have the chance to communicate with each other.)I enjoyed the political espionage aspects of the book as well as being able to see the evolving romance. The Russian Revolution is a very real thing for these characters as is the post-war readjustment. I haven't read any other books in the Beresford series but I really like the mix of spunk and pragmatism in these two. They have a youth and spirit and are a nice contrast to Marple and Poirot. I'll keep reading all three series but the Beresfords may get a bit of priority.
Rating: 
Summary: Lighthearted FUN
Review: This 1922 adventure is Christie's second novel. It does not feature Hercule Poirot but instead introduces Tommy and Tuppence. The pair are childhood friends who went their separate ways during WWI and chance into each other in postwar London. Both are trying to find jobs and are, like most of the other returning veterans, not having much success. They hit on a plan to become 'adventurers' and soon find themselves caught up in a chain of events that had begun years before with the sinking of the Luisitania. The plot is wildly fantastic involving international conspiracies, secret agents seeking secret documents, American millionaires and romance. This is one of Christie's 'master criminal' stories, very much in the same vein as THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT and THE SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY among others. If you enjoyed these or are a P. G. Wodehouse fan you'll love this one but if you are looking for a challenging or more realistic mystery look elsewhere.
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